The primary objectives of this study are to compare the overall activity/ effectiveness and safety profile of combination therapy (Intron A + ribavirin) with Itron A alone for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in patients who have not previously been treated with interferon. Hepatitis C accounts for almost all cases of transfusion-associated hepatitis and for approximately 80% of all cases of sporadic acute hepatitis among adults. ALthought the risk of acquiring infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) after transfution has fallen to under 1% and although the frequency of this infection has begun to decline with a reduction in intravenous drug asociated cases, new cases continue to be discovered. A larger reservoir of chronic infection persists among those who experimented with intravenous drugs two decades ago and come to clinical attention during routine screening. In contrast to the estimated <1% of acoute hepatitis B cases among immunocompetent adults progressing to chronicity, chronic hepatitis develops in 50% - 70% of patients with acute hepatitis C; even among those who recover biochemically, the likelihood for chronic infection is high. Therefore, the combined frequency of both chronic hepatitis and chronic infection approaches 90%. s is true for other forms of chronic hepatitis, this disease if often asymptomatic; yet, insidious progression can occur. In the presence of only minimal clincial and biochemical abnormalities, as many as 20% of patients with chronic transfusion-associated hepatitis C have been observed to progress to cirrhosis within 10 years of transfusion. Among those with cirrhosis, there is a risk after several decades of hepatocellular carcinoma.